"Find me."
The soft voice of a girl echoed through a grand throne room made entirely of shimmering white crystal. At the far end stood a majestic throne made of glowing purple crystal.
Akira stood in the center of it all, facing the throne ahead.
On that crystal seat sat a girl, graceful and still, bathed in an ethereal glow. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make out her face. Her entire form shimmered like static on an old TV, glitching and unclear. Still, something about her felt… familiar.
She spoke again, her voice soft and serene, brushing past him like falling snow.
"Find me... your end, my origin."
Before he could ask what she meant.
Ding.
A soft chime pulled him back to reality.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be landing in Tokyo shortly. Please return your seats to the upright position and fasten your seatbelts…"
Akira blinked and sat up, the dream still lingering at the edge of his thoughts.
"…That dream again," he murmured.
He'd been having the same dream for the past few days, ever since his parents disappeared.
They'd always vanished now and then, going off on strange missions without telling him much. But this time was different. This time, they left a letter.
"Sorry, Akira, I know this is sudden, but we have a reason to leave, and we might not see each other for a while. I know you've got questions, and I'd love to answer them all… but it's not my job this time.
Go back home to Japan, and use the key on the big black door in the basement.
You always wanted to know what was behind it, right?
Your time has finally come. You'll find all the answers to your questions there.
And now that you're heading back to Japan, get along with everyone, alright?
Good luck. You'll need it."
Akira reached into the side pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small cloth-wrapped item, a black crystal key. He was sure it was made of nocturnite, a rare type of crystal that only his family seemed to have.
"Sigh… I don't know what any of this means, but I guess I'm going home," he said softly, staring out the window as he thought back to everything that had happened since he left Japan.
It had been five years.
Akira had traveled the world with his parents. They'd gone to all kinds of amazing places, from America to Olympus, England to the Netherworld. This world was full of strange and wonderful places, and he'd even met quite a few anime characters along the way.
It had been a cool adventure.
But now, that journey was over. He was going back to Japan, the place with more anime characters per square kilometer than anywhere else, and with that strange dream and his parents disappearing, Akira knew one thing for sure:
The plot was finally going somewhere.
And he was excited.
More than anything, he was looking forward to seeing Erika again, his first real friend.
She was also, quite literally, the owner of his heart.
Ever since he'd left Japan, he'd tried to figure out what powers the Sacred Gear in his heart actually had. But no matter what he tried, he'd never been able to activate it. He was starting to believe that it only worked when she was near him.
And that… was something else he was looking forward to.
"I wonder how she's doing… well, I'll just have to find out," Akira whispered to himself with a faint smile.
He leaned back in his seat as the plane began its descent, confident that life was about to get a lot more interesting.
The soft rustle of fabric filled the modest room as Erika stood before the mirror, adjusting the twin crimson ribbons atop her head. Her reflection looked back at her: a crisp white, frilly blouse paired with a long black pleated skirt. It wasn't her usual uniform, she'd dressed up today, just a little.
This wasn't the room she grew up in. It was her school dorm room, far smaller than the one at her house. Still, her bed was filled with all her dolls, just like home.
Ring-ring.
Her phone buzzed on the desk. She glanced at the caller ID and sighed.
"Oni-san," she muttered, picking it up.
"What is it?" she asked, her tone already tinged with irritation.
"Is the princess ready to go pick up our dear Akira from the airport?" Iori's teasing voice came through the speaker.
Erika groaned. "I'm getting ready, obviously! You're the one who decided to tell me last night he was coming back!"
"What should I do? If you're too irritated, I could always send Seichiro instead," he replied with a laugh.
"No! I'm going!" she snapped and hung up before he could say anything else.
Grabbing her bag, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway, only to nearly bump into a small figure.
"Oh, good morning, Erika-san," said a soft voice.
It was Tōgi Shiro, Seichiro's younger sister. The petite girl barely reached Erika's shoulders, with big green eyes and long lilac-silver hair tied into twin tails.
"Oh, Shiro-chan! Morning," Erika greeted her, a little surprised.
Shiro tilted her head, blinking curiously. "You look happier than usual. And dressed up too. Are you going somewhere?"
Erika blinked, then gave a small smile. "Akira's back. I'm going to pick him up."
Shiro's eyes widened. "Really?! Big Brother Akira is back?"
Erika nodded.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Shiro pouted, puffing her cheeks slightly.
"Don't worry. I only found out last night," Erika replied, still a bit annoyed that her brother had dropped the news so casually.
Shiro's pout quickly turned into a grin. "Still… I'm really glad he's back."
Erika glanced at her watch. "Ah, no time! I'll be late! See you later, Shiro-chan!"
She waved and dashed off.
As she hurried down the hall, her thoughts drifted.
It's been five years.
Even after all that time, after everything that had changed, just knowing he was back felt like someone had turned the lights back on inside her.
She still worried about the Sacred Gear… the bloodlust… everything that had forced them apart.
But Akira promised he'd fix it.
And she believed him.
Right now, she just wanted to see him again.